<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>As Beautiful as Music by InkJackets</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29717994">As Beautiful as Music</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkJackets/pseuds/InkJackets'>InkJackets</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, LadyNoir - Freeform, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Softness, Valentine's Day, and its beautiful, chat plays piano, more melancholy than angst really, slight angst, their love is beautiful okay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:35:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,475</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29717994</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkJackets/pseuds/InkJackets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Valentine's Day evening and Ladybug is sitting all alone on a rooftop when Chat Noir stumbles across her. Despite not being in love with him, everything feels easier when he's by her side. However when he finds a piano and starts to play, something stirs inside her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>As Beautiful as Music</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this was supposed to be for valentine's day but i can never do anything on time :')</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Ladybug?!’</p><p>Ladybug jolted as Chat Noir swung past her, his eyes wide, and missed where he was going, slamming into a chimney wall.</p><p>‘Oh my god, Chat!’ Ladybug scrambled to her feet and shot over to him as he slid to the floor and groaned. ‘Are you okay?’</p><p>He rolled onto his back at Ladybug’s touch and dissolved into giggles.</p><p>Ladybug huffed. A smirk rose on her face. ‘You should be more careful!’</p><p>‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ he grinned, accepting Ladybug’s hand to pull him to his feet. ‘I just didn’t expect to see you there, you took me by surprise.’ He glanced down at his hand, which was still in hers. She quickly let go. ‘I guess I assumed you’d be busy tonight,’ he said, rubbing the back of his neck.</p><p>‘Oh,’ she wrapped her arms around herself and avoided Chat’s eye. ‘Uh, no. I’m not.’</p><p>‘I’m sorry to hear that.’</p><p>She gave a sad smile and shrugged. ‘It’s okay.’</p><p>Chat cocked his head to the side and gave her a look that went too deep for her liking.</p><p>He sat down on the rooftop and patted the space next to him. Ladybug exhaled before taking it, bringing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them.</p><p>Neither of them spoke; they shared the silence as they took in the night, gazing down upon the Louvre, which was lit up and glowing, looking stunning amidst the fountains that tinkled and whirred. A cool breeze blew through, ruffling their hair. Parisians—mostly couples—milled below in the square, their gentle chatter drifting over, comforting and calm.</p><p>Ladybug breathed.</p><p>‘We broke up,’ she said softly, ‘me and the boy I told you about.’ She felt Chat’s eyes on her; she watched a leaf skitter past her feet. ‘It happened a while ago actually, I’m sorry I never told you.’</p><p>‘Are you okay?’</p><p>She gave a small smile. Of course the first thing he’d do is check if she was all right.</p><p>She turned her smile to Chat. ‘I’m fine,’ she said, and it was true. She still missed Luka from time to time, but while he’d been ever the perfect boyfriend, he hadn’t been perfect for her.</p><p>‘Wait, what about you?’ she asked. ‘Don’t you have a girlfriend you should be with?’</p><p>‘Ah,’ Chat’s smile became pained. ‘We, uh, broke up too. Apologies for not telling you either.’</p><p>‘I’m so sorry,’ Ladybug looked at him with dismay.</p><p>He shrugged and ran his hands through his hair. ‘I wanted to like her, I really tried. Theoretically she was perfect, but…’ he trailed off and caught her gaze. If Ladybug hadn’t known better, she’d say he was blushing. ‘Well it is what it is,’ Chat said quickly, glancing away.</p><p>She gave him a sad smile but didn’t push him to elaborate. She scooted over to him and lay her head on his shoulder. ‘We’ll find the right ones one day,’ she said.</p><p>Chat didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he hummed in reply before gently laying his head on hers.</p><p>Ladybug closed her eyes and breathed in her partner. Whatever happened outside the masks, when they were together everything felt easier.</p><p>The stars twinkled down, laughter rang out, the soft tinkle of music started drifting up.</p><p>Chat raised his head. Ladybug opened her eyes to see him staring intently down at something in the square.</p><p>‘Chat?’ she asked, following his gaze. ‘What are you—?’</p><p>‘Is that a piano?!’ he cried, leaping to his feet.</p><p>Ladybug blinked. ‘What?’ But before she could even finish the word, Chat grinned at her, eyes bright, and leapt off the rooftop.</p><p>She scrambled to her feet and watched as he surfed down the glass pyramid, flipping to the floor. She shook her head and laughed before following him down.</p><p>Chat bounced on his heels as she skidded to a stop next to him. ‘Look, look!’ he pointed to the piano sat in the square, a small ‘Please play’ sign sitting atop of it. A couple of little kids were clambering over it and banging away tunelessly.</p><p>Ladybug watched, bemused, as Chat walked towards it. The kids gasped when they saw him, but when he bowed and politely asked if they wouldn’t mind if he could play for a minute, they giggled and backed away. He sat down and stretched his fingers. Already a small crowd had formed.</p><p>Ladybug crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow as he ran his hands over the piano, testing out the keys with a rough scale.</p><p>Her expression instantly gave way to incredulity. Chat grinned at her, eyes twinkling;someone from the crowd gave a ‘Whoop!’</p><p>Then the world fell away when Chat started to play.</p><p>Ladybug could only stare enthralled, entranced, ensnared in his music as it weaved around her and took her emotions on an adventure. It was so fun and so full, and it flowed strong and smooth, and though there were moments he didn’t quite hit the right notes, it only added to the spirit of the moment<em>.</em></p><p>The previous children inched closer as he played. Closer, and closer, one even climbing onto his seat so they could watch his fingers in wonder.</p><p>In a split second pause in his music, Chat swept the littlest kid up and perched them on his knee. The little giggles from the child only added to the music as he bounced them in time to the melody.</p><p>And Ladybug simply couldn’t tear her eyes away. Never had she seen Chat like this before—warm smile, soft eyes, so carefree, at peace… Ladybug’s eyes widened. He was genuinely happy.</p><p>And it was beautiful.</p><p>Chat raised his eyes to meet hers and it did something in her chest. Her heart thumped, her lungs squeezed, she struggled for breath. And when the song eventually ended, every bone in her body protested. She <em>needed</em> him to keep playing.</p><p>Chat gathered the child in his arms as the audience applauded and he bowed before placing the child back on the ground, who ran giggling to their mother.</p><p>He turned to Ladybug, his green eyes sending a thrill running through her.</p><p>He held out his hand and gave her a soft smile accompanied by a flick of his head. She slid her hand into his and wrapped herself around him. Chat pulled out his baton and whipped them both back to the rooftops, away from all the people.</p><p>Neither of them spoke as they sat on the rooftop, watching the crowd in the square dispel. The gentle chatter of happy people drifted up and over.</p><p>Ladybug glanced at Chat. He was crossed legged and looking down, an unreadable expression on his face. She ran her fingers over the smooth metal of the rooftop.</p><p>‘I didn’t know you played piano,’ she eventually said, her voice curious and warm but also tinged with sadness.</p><p>‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me,’ Chat replied softly. She looked down and twisted her fingers in her hands. ‘For example,’ he said, perking up, ‘you have no idea how much practice it took for me to learn to play so well in these claws,’ he leant into her space, waggling his fingers next to the stupid grin on his face.</p><p>Ladybug laughed and pushed him away out of habit. Chat chuckled and sat back, but he didn’t break eye contact. And neither did she.</p><p>He raised an eyebrow. ‘What?’</p><p>Ladybug eyed him up and down. ‘You’re right,’ she said, ‘there <em>is </em>a lot I don’t know about you.’ She leant towards him and gave him a soft smile shining with moonlight. ‘But I’d love to learn.’</p><p>He blinked. His smile slipped. ‘I still love you,’ he blurted out.</p><p>She stopped breathing.</p><p>‘I know you said you don’t love me,’ Chat spoke quickly, his tail twitching behind him, ‘and I respect that, honestly! But I can’t stop thinking about you. I thought if I focused on someone else I could move on but…’</p><p>Chat’s words blurred in her mind, the only thing her she could see was his piercing green eyes.</p><p>‘… but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t and—I tried to move on from you,’ his voice was low and hoarse, ‘I really did, I promise I—’</p><p>‘Chat,’ she cut him off, placing a hand on his cheek, and he stilled, his eyes pained and flicking between hers.</p><p>‘You don’t need to try anymore,’ she said quietly.</p><p>His eyes widened.</p><p>Her heart pounded.</p><p>She leant in and kissed him full on the mouth, and it was like everything suddenly made sense. Chat took her face in his hands and kissed her back just as hard, and flutters rose in her chest, warmth blossomed within her. For he was her partner, her friend, the one she trusted completely. And their love, it was as beautiful as music.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i loved writing this one. if you want, let me know if you enjoyed reading it ^^</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>